Windmill



A. E. JAM-ES Nov. 3, 1936.

WINDMILL Filed May 29, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5. JAMES wINDMI NOV.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a windmill including a rotor, and the invention aims to improve the construction of the rotor, to improve the means whereby the rotor is mounted to turn about a vertical axis, and to provide novel means for directing air into the rotor, to cause the rotor to turn.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation wherein the device is shown at right angles to the position delineated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section reduced in width;

Fig.4 is a top plan;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental vertical section showing a portion of the gearing;

Fig. '7 is a fragmental longitudinal section showing a part of the post and elements that cooperate therewith.

The device forming the subject matter of this application comprises a vertical casing C and a vertical rotor R journaled in the casing.

The numeral I designates a fixed annular track. The casing C comprises an imperforate top plate member 2, and a base ring member 3 having an opening 4. The top plate 2 and the base ring 3 are connected by a wall 5 which extends about half way around the casing. The wall 5 is not disposed cylindrically with respect to the rotor R, but is arranged in a spiral form with respect thereto, one end 6 of the wall being close to the periphery of the rotor R, and the opposite end 1 of the wall being at some distance from the periphery of the rotor, thereby forming an inlet 8 for air, at the end I of the wall 5, there being an outlet 9 for air at the end 6 of the wall 5.

The casing C is mounted for rotation responsive to the direction of the wind, as the Wind hauls from one point of the compass to another.

The base ring 3 of the casing C preferably is provided with grooved wheels I 0 that ride on the upper edge of the track I, to support the casing C for ready rotation and to keep the casing centered for rotation about a vertical axis. A post II is secured to the top plate 2 of the casing C and may be sustained in vertical position by any suitable means, such as guys l2, connected to a bearing I4 in which the upper end of the post II is journaled for rotation. In order to secure a rotation of the casing C, responsive to a shift of wind, a vane [5 of any desired area is secured to the post II, the vane and the post carrying a pointer I6 which indicates the direction from which the Wind is blowing. The post II has a bore ll, forming a seat I8 within the post.

The top plate 2 and the base ring 3 of the casing C are connected by fiat deflectors [9. The deflectors l9 extend from the inlet 8 about quarter way around the casing, from the end 1 of the Wall 5 toward the end 6 of the wall. The deflectors l9 are arranged tangentially with respect to the periphery of the rotor R and terminate at the opening 4 in the base ring 3, close to the periphery of the rotor.

From the last deflector l9 to a point adjacent to the end 6 of the wall 5, the top plate 2 and the base ring 3 are connected by a plurality of deflectors 20, each including an outwardly extended part 2|, and a part 22 arranged tangentially with respect to the periphery of the rotor R and terminating at the opening 4 in the base ring 3 of the casing C. The deflectors l9 and 20 are located opposite the wall 5 and between the ends 6 and 1 of the wall.

The rotor R comprises a cylindrical shell 23, within which are secured any desired number of Vertically spaced spiders 24, secured by set screws 25 to a power transmitting shaft 26 having its upper end journaled in the bore ll of the casing post ll, an anti-friction ball 21 being interposed between the upper end of the shaft 26 and the seat I8 of. the post.

To the lower end of the shaft 26, a beveled gear 28 is secured. A fixed foot plate 29 is provided and has an upstanding annular rib 30, within which fits an annular flange 3| on an annular rib 32 formed integrally with the gear 28 and overhanging the rib 3B of the foot plate 29, antifriction balls 33 being interposed between the ribs 32 and 30. Owing to the construction last above described, the gear 28 is held centered, and at the same time it can rotate without objectionable friction. The gear member 28 meshes with a beveled pinion 34, secured to a drive shaft 35 journaled in a bearing 36 on the foot plate 29.

Buckets 31, having wide mouths, and tapering away from the mouths, are secured to the outer surface of the shell 23 of the rotor R. The buckets 31 extend the full length of the rotor R, as shown in Fig. 3, but the buckets, if desired, may be made in sections, longitudinally considered, as shown at 38 in Fig. 3.

Assuming that the wind is blowing approximately in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 5, some of the air enters the inlet 8 of the casing C, and, owing to the spiral disposition of the casing wall 5, is carried circumferentially of the rotor R, and inwardly into the buckets 31 of the rotor, rotation being imparted to the rotor. A ready exit for the air is provided, owing to the provision of. the opening 4 in the base ring 3 of the casing C, but the air that happens to follow around the wall 5 to the end 6 of the wall, can escape through the outlet 9. Here note that because the end 6 of the wall 5 is behind and setinwardly with respect to the deflector 26 that is nearest to the outlet 9, and because all of the deflectors 20 include the outwardly projecting portions 2|, part of the actuating air at the right hand side of the casing C in Fig. 5 will be prevented from running counter to the air emerging through the outlet 9, there being no deadening of the outward draft through the outlet 9. The tangential parts 22 of the deflectors 26 direct air into the buckets 3'! of the rotor R that are adjacent to the deflectors 20, the deflectors I9 likewise directing air into the adjacent buckets.

As the rotor R turns, rotation is imparted to the shaft 28, and the beveled gears 28 and 34 rotate the shaft 35. Since the novelty resides in the construction of one windmill, rather than in gearing for connecting a plurality of windmills, remarks relative to the gearing may be confined, without a showing in the drawings, to the statement that any desired number of the shafts 35 may be connected operatively, if the end in view calls for more power than can be furnished by a single windmill. The device may be used in connection with a dynamo and a storage battery (not shown), to provide cheap electric power in places where electric power is not otherwise available. Many other uses for the structure of course will suggest themselves to the user.

By way of summary, it may be stated that the windmill forming the subject matter of this application comprises an elongated vertical casing C, including a closed top member 2, a bottom member 3, and a wall 5 extended part way around the casing C and joining the top member 2 and the bottom member 3, a rotor R being supported for rotation within the casing C, and the rotor R having buckets 3'1. The wall 5 is disposed in spiral form with respect to the periphery of the rotor R, thereby to form an air inlet 8 at one vertical edge 1 of the wall 5, and to form, at the opposite vertical edge 6 of the wall 5, a reduced secondary outlet 9 for air that follows around the inner surface of the wall 5, along with the buckets 31. The bottom member 3 has a large primary outlet 4 for air, and deflectors l9 and 20 are carried by the casing C and discharge into a group of the buckets 31, the deflectors l9 and 20 being located between said vertical edges 6 and 'l of the wall 5 and opposite the wall 5. The deflectors 59 that are adjacent to said one vertical edge 1 of the wall 5, and to the inlet 8, are flat, but the deflectors 20 that are adjacent to said opposite vertical edge 6 of the wall 5, and to the secondary air outlet 9, include outwardly extended portions 2|, and portions 22 extended circumferentially of the rotor R and discharging into divers of the buckets 3'! of said group. At least one of the deflectors 20 is located directly in front of. the vertical edge 5 of the wall 5 and in front of the secondary air outlet 9, the outwardly extended portions 2i being so inclined as to direct air away from the secondary air outlet 9 as the force of the wind varies.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A windmill comprising an elongated vertical casing including a closed top member, a bottom member and a wall extended part way around the casing and joining the top and bottom members, a rotor supported for rotation within the casing and having buckets, the Wall being disposed in spiral form with respect to the periphery of the rotor, thereby to form an air inlet at one vertical edge of the wall, and to form, at the opposite vertical edge of the wall, a reduced secondary outlet for air that follows around the inner surface of the wall, along with the buckets, the bottom member having a large primary outlet for air, deflectors carried by the casing and discharging into a group of the buckets, the deflectors being located between said vertical edges of the wall and opposite the wall, the deflectors that are adjacent to said one vertical edge of the wall, and to the inlet, being flat, the deflectors that are adjacent to said opposite vertical edge of the wall, and to the secondary air outlet, including outwardly extended portions, and portions extended circumferentially of the rotor and discharging into divers of the buckets of said group, at least one of the last mentioned deflectors being located directly in front of said opposite vertical edge of the wall and in front of the secondary air outlet, the outwardly extended portions being so inclined as to direct air away from the secondary air outlet as the force of the wind varies, and means for mounting the casing for rotation responsive to a shift of wind.

ARTHUR E. JAMES. 

